worry

Published8 July, 2015

Bullying it seems is happening in workplaces up and down the country. In the UK workforce as many as 70% of us report being bullied or harassed by our boss, supervisor or a colleague at some point in our career.

Our clients tell us about the impact that this can have on their lives both in and out of work. Continue reading →

Published23 October, 2014

Bereavement, grief and loss are simultaneously a universal and an intensely personal an d unique experience. There are many types of significant loss in our lives, as well as the death of a loved one, we also suffer grief and loss when there are big changes in our lives like the end of a relationship or we are made redundant or that we are diagnosed with a severe illness. They all share the themes of a significant ending and something that will never come back into our lives.

In any life grief and loss are to be expected, yet the thing that often surprises clients is the intensity of the feelings. Bereavement is the reaction to that loss and although the pattern is very personal, it is not unusual to find it difficult to sleep, to have a disrupted appetite, to feel withdrawn in addition to being tearful and easily upset. There can be a real sense of shock and numbness and of disorganisation. There can seem very little of normal life to cling on to. Continue reading →

Published14 March, 2014

The world of fiction is full of characters and their alter egos some who do fight for good like Clark Kent and Superman and some not so good Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Perhaps the truth though might be stranger than fiction. Please don’t think for a moment that I am suggesting that we have split personalities but rather, we chose very carefully what we present to the world so as to be accepted and loved. Continue reading →

Published28 January, 2014

Anxiety is an important system in the body, preparing us for dangerous situations when we may need to take action to protect ourselves, our loved ones our homes. In an anxiety disorder it is rather like the sensitivity of the anxiety is set to maximum so we find that we become anxious about everyday situations and it is this moment when anxiety begins to affect our everyday lives that we may have to take action.

Published15 January, 2014

At any time in the UK 1 in 4 will experience mental health problems in a year. 8 to 12% of the population experience depression, the UK has one of the highest rates of self-harm in Europe. Around 40% of people report stress related illness as a result of their work.

Given all of these problems that we face in the UK why do we still find it so difficult to talk about mental illness and why are we so afraid to admit to having mental health problems. Certainly the statistics are not on your side Continue reading →

Published8 January, 2014

It has been said that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results might be a definition of madness. Perhaps this is the year that you feel that you would like to do something different, perhaps this is the year in which you would like to take more control of your life.

Published3 December, 2013

“It’s that wonderful old-fashioned idea that others come first and you come second. This was the whole ethic by which I was brought up. Others matter more than you do, so ‘don’t fuss, dear; get on with it’.” Audrey Hepburn

It’s easy to put others first there is a seemly endless stream of demands on your time: family, work, friends and community and perhaps a sense that there is very little left over for you. Indeed even if there were you are too tired to do anything about it.